Zephaniah 3:6

“I have cut off the nations; their corner towers are destroyed. I have made their streets deserted with no one to pass through. Their cities are laid waste, with no man, no inhabitant.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God speaks as the daily-justice-appointing sovereign, declaring the total destruction of hostile nations to contrast with the unrepentant corruption of His own people.

The words — הִכְרַתִּי (hikhaṯti) means "I have cut off," and הֶחֱרַבְתִּי (heḥeravtī) means "I have made desolate," emphasizing divine action against the גוֹיִם (goyim, nations) and their abandoned streets (חֻצֹּתָם, chuṣṯām).

The thread — This judgment motif connects to the warning against coastal nations in Zephaniah 2:5 and illustrates the pattern of divine intervention seen in Isaiah 37:24.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that God's historical destruction of rebellious nations establishes the standard for His present and future judgment, requiring readers to acknowledge His justice rather than ignore His correction.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

הִכְרַ֣תִּיhikh.Ra.tiI have cut off גוֹיִ֗םgo.Yimnations נָשַׁ֙מּוּ֙na.Sha.muthey are desolate פִּנּוֹתָ֔םpi.no.Ta/mcorners/ their הֶחֱרַ֥בְתִּיhe.che.Rav.tiI have made desolate חֽוּצוֹתָ֖םchu.tzo.Ta/mstreets/ their מִבְּלִ֣יmi./be.Libecause/ not עוֹבֵ֑רo.Ver[one who] passes by נִצְדּ֧וּnitz.Duthey have been laid waste עָרֵיהֶ֛ם'a.rei./Hemcities/ their מִבְּלִי־mi./be.li-because/ not אִ֖ישׁ'ishanyone מֵאֵ֥יןme./'Einfrom/ not יוֹשֵֽׁב׃yo.Shevinhabitant

King James Version

I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.

Cross-references

Zephaniah 2:5 Woe to the dwellers of the seacoast, O nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines: “I will destroy you, and no one will be left.”
1 Corinthians 10:6 These things took place as examples to keep us from craving evil things as they did.
Isaiah 37:24 Through your servants you have taunted the Lord, and you have said: “With my many chariots I have ascended to the heights of the mountains, to the remote peaks of Lebanon. I have cut down its tallest cedars, the finest of its cypresses. I have reached its farthest heights, the densest of its forests.
Jeremiah 25:9 behold, I will summon all the families of the north, declares the LORD, and I will send for My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, whom I will bring against this land, against its residents, and against all the surrounding nations. So I will devote them to destruction and make them an object of horror and contempt, an everlasting desolation.
1 Corinthians 10:11 Now these things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.
Leviticus 26:31 I will reduce your cities to rubble and lay waste your sanctuaries, and I will refuse to smell the pleasing aroma of your sacrifices.
Isaiah 10:1 Woe to those who enact unjust statutes and issue oppressive decrees,
Isaiah 15:1 This is the burden against Moab: Ar in Moab is ruined, destroyed in a night! Kir in Moab is devastated, destroyed in a night!
Isaiah 19:1 This is the burden against Egypt: Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud; He is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble before Him, and the hearts of the Egyptians will melt within them.
Isaiah 37:11 Surely you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the other countries, devoting them to destruction. Will you then be spared?